Shillong, July 24:
Brief
– Lapang Nangphyllut Dolloiship and Pangam Raliang were part of Jaintia Kingdom since 1500 AD
– Both the villages were annexed to Assam’s Karbi Hills District in1947
– People from both the villages have been petitioning to successive Chief Ministers of Meghalaya since 1972 to bring back the villages into Meghalaya
– The people of the villages hope that Union Home Minister Amit Shah can fulfill their dream fo reuniting with Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya
– They have submitted a memorandum to the Union Home Minister through Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma
Full Report
It is no secret that the political map of India was altered drastically due to the poor and arbitrarily demarcated state boundaries by the British Raj, who changed most of these boundaries to suit their needs and interests.
So when they left, many states inherited these boundaries. While some borders were redrawn, many areas still fell to other states instead of their old ‘kingdoms’.
The case of Lapang Nangphyllut Dolloiship and Pangam Raliang area is similar. The two villages which were for centuries part of the Jaintia Kingdom got transferred to Assam when the Britishers left India in 1947.
In 1947, from being part of Jaintia Kingdom they were attached to Block I of North Kachar and Karbi Hills District Autonomous Council.
The local organizations have been demanding for transfer of these two villages back to West Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya since 1972, but nothing concrete has taken place so far.
In hopes that this demand sees the light of the day, three organizations have written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the letter for which has been submitted to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Friday.
The joint memorandum by the Hynniewtrep Border Dispute Redressal Forum (HBDRF), the Hynñiewtrep Women Welfare and Development Organization (HWWDO) and Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) wants Shah’s help for re-unification of Lapang Nangphyllut Dolloiship and Pangam Raliang area back to Jaintia Hills.
Centuries old history
President of KHNAM state youth, Thomas Passah said these areas were under the Jaintia Kingdom since the year 1500 A.D till 1947 and all the villages, Rivers, and mountains etc have been named in a Khasi/Pnar language as there are documents relating to the land.
Adding to this, Chairman of HBDRF, Chandame Sungoh said since March 15, 1835 till August 15, 1947 the elaka Lapang Nangpyllut Dolloiship and Pangam Raliang had been part of Jaintia Kingdom but were forcefully attached to North Kachar and Karbi Hills District Autonomous Council after August 15, 1947.
Efforts to bring back areas to Meghalaya
Sungoh said the people of Nangpyllut Dolloiship and Pangam Raliang have submitted representations to Chief Ministers of each successive governments since 1972 but there has been no decision till date.
He added that there were several meetings held between both the states at the level of Chief Ministers and chief secretaries on the subject, but there have never been any resolution on this matter.
Some glimmers but no result
Sungoh said the only ray of hope for them came on May 11, 2000 when the then Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta and Meghalaya Chief Minister EK Mawlong inspected the Khanduli village.
In 2003 the then Chief Minister of Meghalaya, D.D Lapang and MLA of Assam, Roupon Singh Ronghang visited a refugee camp at Sahsniang village and had taken a decision to return all Khasi/Pnar villages from Karbi Anglong Assam to the Jaintia Hills District Council (JHADC).
KHNAM state youth president, Thomas Passah informed that on November 05, 1957, the then Assam government had instructed the CEM of United Cachar & Mikirs Hills District and United Khasi & Jaintia Hills District to constitute a joint enquiry in this regard, in which the survey started from Umbaso village on the February 17, 1958 and a resolution was taken that all Khasi/Pnar Village should be return to the United Khasi & Jaintia Hills District.
However, there has been no implementation of these discussions and resolutions.
